In Season: Japanese Eggplant

The other day I was thrilled to spot Japanese eggplant at the farmers market. In case you don't know the distinction from the American globe eggplant commonly found at the store, Japanese eggplant has a thinner skin and a sweet, delicate flavor. Like most eggplant, it grows in season from July to October. To find out what to look for,

.

Choose firm, dark-colored vegetables with smooth, shiny skin. They should be light for their size.

Select young eggplant varieties. The younger they are, the more tender they will be.

Avoid older eggplant, which will have a dull color and soft texture. The eggplant will take on a bitter flavor as it ages.

Avoid eggplant with bruised patches.

Store eggplant uncut and unwashed in a plastic bag in the cooler section of your refrigerator for up to a week. Beware that eggplant does not fare well in extremely cold settings.

Some preparation tips:

Soak eggplant in salted water before cooking to prevent them from turning brown.

Because eggplant is highly absorbent, add extra oil when stir-frying or frying eggplant.

Toss with garlic and oil in a stir-fry.

Sauté with garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and just a hint of sugar until soft.

Deep-fry and sprinkle with minced garlic and salt.

Use in place of globe eggplant in any dishes calling for eggplant — you won't have any of the bitterness.

What are your experiences, if any, with Japanese eggplant? I'd love to hear your preparation suggestions!

oooh i'm excited for this. i've just gotten into finding new things to do w/ eggplant and i think that this variety of it will be great. i love how you shared preparation suggestions too - since i don't always know new ways to prepare things.

These can be stuffed and braised, stewed, sliced thin and stir fried, and I've even shredded them. I love the taste and texture of eggplant, and these are so much sweeter than globe eggplant. Given that they're called Chinese or Japanese eggplant, my girlfriend and I have taken to calling the big purple globes "white-people eggplant."